Improved curtain-fixture



UNTTED STATES lPATENT Trice.

JOHN H. BARNES AND THOMAS W. BROWN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,727, dated April 3, 1866.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN H. BARNES and THOMAS V. BROWN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Oord-Tightener for Vindow-Shades or Curtain-Fixtures; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', and of its mode or manner of operation, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and making a part of this specification.

The nature of our invention consists in the production of an improved mechanical arrangement or device for receiving and tightenin g the cord used for raising window-shades ,or fixtures, which is greatly simplified in construction, and can be produced at a greatly reduced cost, and which is as effective and more durable than other devices constructed for the same purpose, more complex in arrangement and expensive in construction.

Figure 1 ;is a frontviewof such improved device ixed to the easing of a window, and having a cord passing around or under it. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 a back view of the same device.

The various devices which have heretofore been used for supporting or holding the cord by which the window-shade is raised or wound upon its roller, and for tightening such cord when necessary, have been constructed in at least two separate and distinct parts, one of which is intended to be, andiis to be, permanently xed or fastened to the casing of the window, and the other part-that over or around which the cord passes--moving up and down upon the permanently-fixed part, and most frequently another part is added, as a spring or the like, to hold and x the movable part in any required position upon the fixed part. As a necessary consequence such articles are comparatively costly of construction, and the several parts are very liable to get out of order and become broken, so that in a short time the article is rendered very inefficient, if not wholly useless, for the uses for which intended.

The device, as constructed `by us for; the same uses, can be made of aesingle piece cf metal,so that all possible liability of disarran gement of parts, or of the different parts getting out of order is wholly prevented and obviated, and the article is thus rendered more durable, and the cost of construction can be very materially reduced.

Our improved device for receiving and supporting the cord to raise the window-shade and for tightening such cord, as desired, eonsists of a thin plate of iron or other metal, A, the external shape or form of which may be varied, as preferred, and the outer surface of which may be entirely plain, as shown in the drawings, or figured and ornamented according to taste and fancy, and to the upper part of said plate is xed a hook, B, over and around which passes the cord C, which also passes around the roller to which the shade or curtain is fastened. In the lower part of such plate is made a slot, D, the length of which governs or limits the allowed motion or movement of such plate up and down, to accommodate it to the length of or to tighten the cord. rlhrough the slot D passes a screw, E, by which it is secured tothe casing F, and on which the plate can' be moved up and down, as required.

Fig. 2 shows more plainly the form of the hook B, which is rounded at the part where the cord C rests and passes, so as to wear it as little as possible. Fig. 3 represents the back side of such plate and the construction of the slot, whereby only the front edge of the plate approaches the screw,thus more easily allowing motion of such plate upon the screw.

The plate A and the hook B, instead of having the former fixed to the casing permanently and the latter moving upon such part, are fixed Vto each other, and both of them can be moved up and down upon the screw E by simply looseningsuch screw. This same screw also secures the plate to the casin g, instead of two screws or nails being required for such purpose.

Vhen the cord C is placed over the hook B the plate is moved down on the screw sufficiently to give proper tautness to the cord, and the screw then tightened, when the whole is ready for use.

To remove the cord or to lengthen 'or shorten it it is only necessary to loosen the screw E, when the plate can be moved as required, and the screw again fastened; The drawings show the screw E as what is known as a thumb screw;77 but the ordinary round-head screw will secure as efiectually the plate, and is much cheaper.

The plate A with the hook B may be cast or can be cut out and struck up by dies. For convenience of casting, the upper part bearing the hook may be east by itself, and it and the lower part made to hook or lap upon each other, so that when placed together in the position represented in Fig. l the natural strain of the cord or the pressure of the screw will cause the parts to work as if made in one piece.

If desired, in the place of the hook B there may be fixed to the plate A a small roller to 

